The 2017 Florida Statutes

(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, a member of an Indian tribe recognized in this state who purchases cigarettes on an Indian reservation for his or her own use is exempt from paying a cigarette tax and surcharge. However, such member purchasing cigarettes outside of an Indian reservation or a nontribal member purchasing cigarettes on an Indian reservation is not exempt from paying the cigarette tax or surcharge when purchasing cigarettes within this state. Accordingly, the tax and surcharge shall apply to all cigarettes sold on an Indian reservation to a nontribal member, and evidence of such tax or surcharge shall be by means of an affixed cigarette tax and surcharge stamp.

(2) In order to ensure an adequate quantity of cigarettes on Indian reservations which may be purchased by tribal members who are exempt from the cigarette tax and surcharge, the division shall provide recognized Indian tribes within this state with Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupons as set forth in this section. A reservation cigarette seller shall present such Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupons to a wholesale dealer licensed in this state in order to purchase stamped cigarettes that are exempt from the imposition of the cigarette tax and surcharge. A tribal member may purchase cigarettes that are exempt from the cigarette tax and surcharge from a reservation cigarette seller even though such cigarettes have an affixed cigarette tax-and-surcharge stamp.

(3) Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupons shall be provided to the recognized governing body of each Indian tribe to ensure that each Indian tribe can obtain cigarettes that are exempt from the tax and surcharge which are for the use of the tribe or its members. The Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupons shall be provided to the Indian tribes quarterly. It is intended that each Indian tribe will distribute the Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupons to reservation cigarette sellers on such tribe’s reservation. Only Indian tribes or reservation cigarette sellers on their reservations may redeem such Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupons pursuant to this section.

(a) The number of Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupons to be given to the recognized governing body of each Indian tribe shall be based upon the probable demand of the tribal members on the tribe’s reservation plus the number needed for official tribal use. The annual total number of Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupons to be given to the recognized governing body of each Indian tribe shall be calculated by multiplying the number of members of the tribe times five packs of cigarettes times 365.

(b) Each wholesale dealer shall keep records of transactions involving Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupons and shall submit appropriate documentation to the division when claiming a refund as set forth in this section. Documentation must contain at least the following information:

1. The identity of the Indian tribe from which an Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupon is received;

2. The identity and the quantity of the product for which an Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupon is provided;

3. The date of issuance and the date of expiration of the Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupon; and

4. Any other information as the division may deem appropriate.

(4)(a) An Indian tribe may purchase cigarettes for its own official use from a wholesale dealer without payment of the cigarette tax and surcharge to the extent that the Indian tribe provides the wholesale dealer with Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupons entitling the Indian tribe to purchase such quantities of cigarettes as allowed by each Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupon without paying the cigarette tax and surcharge.

(b) A tribal member may purchase cigarettes for his or her own use without payment of the cigarette tax and surcharge if the tribal member makes such purchase on a qualified reservation.

(c) A reservation cigarette seller may purchase cigarettes for resale without payment of the cigarette tax from a wholesale dealer licensed pursuant to this chapter:

1. If the reservation cigarette seller brings the cigarettes or causes them to be delivered onto a qualified reservation for resale on the reservation;

2. To the extent that the reservation cigarette seller provides the wholesale dealer with Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupons entitling the reservation cigarette seller to purchase such quantities of cigarettes as allowed on each Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupon without paying the cigarette tax and surcharge; and

3. If the cigarettes are affixed with a cigarette tax and surcharge stamp.

(d) A wholesale dealer may not collect the cigarette tax and surcharge from any purchaser if the purchaser gives the dealer Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupons that entitle the purchaser to purchase such quantities of cigarettes as allowed on each such Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupon without paying the cigarette tax and surcharge.

(5) A wholesale dealer who has one or more Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupons may file a claim for a refund with respect to any cigarette tax previously paid on cigarettes that the wholesale dealer sold without collecting the tax because the dealer accepted an Indian-tax-and-surcharge-exemption coupon from a purchaser pursuant to this section.

(6) If an Indian tribe enters into an agreement with the state and the Legislature approves such agreement regarding the sale and distribution of cigarettes on the tribe’s reservation, the terms of the agreement take precedence over the provisions of this section and exempt the tribe from the tax and surcharge if the tax and surcharge are specifically addressed in the agreement. The sale or distribution, including transportation, of any cigarettes to the tribe’s reservation shall be in accordance with the provisions of the agreement. The agreement must provide for revenue sharing between the tribe and the state relating to the imposition and collection of the taxes imposed by ss. 210.02 and 210.30 and the surcharges imposed by ss. 210.011 and 210.276 and must, at a minimum, provide for the state to receive as revenue sharing from the tribe the full amounts of the surcharges imposed by ss. 210.011 and 210.276.